Arizona Bills Require Public School Students To Recite Loyalty Oaths

[diabeticman]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/26/1500011/arizona-bills-require-public-school-students-to-recite-loyalty-oaths/


The oath:

I, _____________, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC, THAT I WILL DEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATIONS OR PURPOSE OF EVASION; AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THESE DUTIES; SO HELP ME GOD.


They would have to recite this in order to receive there diploma.

[Drale]

1. They can not force anyone to take any oath

Frazier v. Alexandre stated that it is unconstitutional to force anyone to stand and force anyone to say the pledge of allegiance, and that would mean they could not force anyone to recite this bullshit to receive their diploma. Granted that was not a Supreme Court case but it does set presidence.

[diabeticman]

2. That's good to know but I do worry about a Roberts court ruling on a case like this.

[Downwinder]

3. If you don't do it what do they do?

Keep you around for another year?

[JCMach1]

9. NO DIPLOMA or TRANSCRIPT

[Downwinder]

10. Half of my class in Phoenix would have stayed around for

another year. There were not many jobs available and would have had a draft deferment. There was not space to have put us. If you are not allowed to graduate you are still in school.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Because freedom isn't free, or something.

Hell, it's not even legal in AZ.

[mrmpa]

5. In the '50's through the '70's many cities had employees sign these loyalty oaths..............

starting in the late '70's cities ceased this. If this is challenged in court, I think it will be struck down every time. If it would get to the Supreme Court, I think it would be struck down there.

[Major Nikon]

6. I don't even think the Nazis came up with shit this ridiculous

[malthaussen]

7. No more stupid than the Pledge of Allegiance

And since minor children are not legally competent to swear to anything, totally meaningless.

-- Mal

[7wo7rees]

8. "...could be another image headache for Arizona..."

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/business/2013/01/proposed-us-loyalty-oath-for-students.html?page=all

Sponsors

Name Type Sponsorship Financial
Representative Sonny Borrelli Primary Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative Carl Seel Primary Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative T.J. Shope Primary Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative Steve Smith Primary Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative Bob Thorpe Primary Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative Chester Crandell Cosponsor Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative Jeff Dial Cosponsor Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney
Representative David Livingston Cosponsor Sponsored Bills FollowTheMoney

http://legiscan.com/AZ/sponsors/HB2467

***Update***: While the bill still includes the God language, Think Progress reports that it may be revised:

As written, the bill does not exempt atheist students or those of different faiths from the requirement, though Thorpe has pledged to amend the measure. “In that we had a tight deadline for dropping our bills, I was not able to update the language,” he wrote in an e-mail to the Arizona Republic. “Even though I want to encourage all of our students to understand and respect our Constitution and constitutional form of government, I do not want to create a requirement that students or parents may feel uncomfortable with.”

So it’s possible alternative language may solve the atheist problem, but *requiring* students to take the oath still poses a host of constitutional issues. Another option would be to make the oath optional, but that would make this bill completely irrelevant.

QEF